Miller sues to force exact spelling rule for write-in votes  —  JUNEAU — GOP nominee Joe Miller is asking a federal judge to keep the state from using discretion in counting write-in ballots in Alaska's hotly contested Senate race.  —  The lawsuit, filed Tuesday, comes …

More federal workers' pay tops $150,000  —  The number of federal workers earning $150,000 or more a year has soared tenfold in the past five years and doubled since President Obama took office, a USA TODAY analysis finds.  —  The fast-growing pay of federal employees has captured the attention …

DAVID B. OFFER: Collins optimistic that moderation is key to success by Congress  —  The votes were barely counted last week before national columnists and pundits began analyzing the impact of the Republican victories.  Many predicted more gridlock.  —  “Moderate Republicans will be less likely …

Carlson sent fake ‘Olbermann’ emails to Philly columnist  —  Tucker Carlson boasted in July that his site, the Daily Caller, had bought the domain name for liberal MSNBC host Keith Olbermann.  Carlson, a conservative journalist and pundit, even said he would start using the email address keith@keitholbermann.com as a gag.

Controversy over Palin's cookie comments at Pa. school  —  sarah palin, tea party, bucks county, pennsylvania, inside politics  —  Call it “Cookiegate”.  Sarah Palin is baking up a little controversy in Pennsylvania.  She was the guest speaker last night at a fundraiser at Plumstead Christian School in Plumstead Township.

Bush: “I probably won't even vote for McCain”  —  George W. Bush's bombastic return to the world stage has reminded me of my favourite Bush anecdote, which for various reasons we couldn't publish at the time.  Some of the witnesses still dine out on it.  —  The venue was the Oval Office.

Wall Street Collects $4 Billion From Taxpayers as Swaps Backfire  —  The subprime mortgage crisis isn't the only calamity Wall Street created that's upending the finances of U.S. states and cities.  —  For more than a decade, banks and insurance companies convinced governments and nonprofits …

Poll: Voters Would Rather Tax The Wealthy Than Cut Social Security  —  Voters last week sent Washington a strong message about fixing the federal budget, according to exclusive numbers from a new poll obtained by TPM: Raise taxes on the wealthy and cut the military budget before you touch …

Obama officials moving away from 2011 Afghan date  —  WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has decided to begin publicly walking away from what it once touted as key deadlines in the war in Afghanistan in an effort to de-emphasize President Barack Obama's pledge that he'd begin withdrawing U.S. forces …

Interior inspector general: White House skewed drilling-ban report  —  The White House rewrote crucial sections of an Interior Department report to suggest an independent group of scientists and engineers supported a six-month ban on offshore oil drilling, the Interior inspector general says in a new report.

Proposed Cigarette Product Warning Labels  —  Overview  —  The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Tobacco Control Act) requires that cigarette packages and advertisements have larger and more visible graphic health warnings.  —  FDA issued a proposed rule …

Jobs forecast can help Obama — if he can sell it to the nation  —  An exasperated Robert Gibbs said last summer: “Let's just be honest, the economy lost more jobs than it had in the last three recessions combined.  It's hard to message that.”  —  The verdict voters returned last week …

LaHood Threatens to Take High Speed Rail Stimulus from OH, WI  —  My favorite cabinet secretary is the one who knows how to play hardball with Republican obstructionists, who knows the leverage he holds and is not afraid to use it.  I guess that's because he's the only Republican in the cabinet*.

Room at the top?  Not for young Dems  —  A younger generation of Democrats is chafing at being asked to stand aside and let a triumvirate of elders keep their leadership positions in the wake of a catastrophic midterm election result.  —  Barring an unexpected shake-up …

Republicans Maneuver to Oust Their Leader  —  WASHINGTON — Turning their attention to the 2012 presidential election, Republican leaders are digging in for a battle over control of the Republican National Committee, judging that its role in fund-raising, get-out-the-vote operations and other tasks …

Why Rush to Cut Nukes?  —  THE sweeping Democratic midterm losses last week raise serious questions for President Obama and a lame-duck Congress.  Voters want government brought closer to the vision the framers outlined in the Constitution, and the first test could be the fate of the flawed …

Student tuition fee protest breaks into Conservative HQ  —  Angry scenes at 30 Millbank at student fees protest  —  There have been violent scenes as tens of thousands of people protested against plans to treble tuition fees and cut university funding in England.

Nearly 59 million lack health insurance: CDC  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nearly 59 million Americans went without health insurance coverage for at least part of 2010, many of them with conditions or diseases that needed treatment, federal health officials said on Tuesday.

Matthews: Had You Seen This Hillary Clinton in 2008 She Might Be President  —  Chris Matthews is suddenly getting a thrill up his leg for somebody other than Barack Obama.  —  On Tuesday's “Hardball,” before playing a video clip of the Secretary of State joking around with some comedians in Australia …

Gov. Christie says he's skeptical that global warming is caused by humans  —  TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie says he's skeptical that humans are responsible for global warming.  —  The governor, a new darling of the Republican Party, made the remark at a town hall meeting he hosted in Toms River Tuesday afternoon.

Despite new female faces in Congress, numbers in decline  —  Editor's note: In “The Sweep,” CNN dives deep into issues that are making news and explores why they're in the headlines.  —  Washington (CNN) — Ask Republican Rep.-elect Nan Hayworth how important it is to have women …

After a Personal Scandal, a Small Political Upswing  —  COLUMBIA, S.C. — Recently, Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina watched “The Blind Side,” the Oscar-winning movie about a white woman from Memphis who mentors a homeless black teenager.  The film so “touched my heart,” the governor said …

John King's magical wall sent him over the edge just days before the election  —  Tweet  —  CNN anchor John King's “magic wall” sent him over the edge when his beloved touch screen jammed.  —  The DC-based anchor had a meltdown while anchoring his 7 p.m. show, “John King USA,” …

Bush: “The Wolves of Washington” and the Roberts/Miers/Alito Nominations  —  In his new book “Decision Points,” former President George W. Bush offers some fascinating tidbits about what could be his most lasting legacy: the nominations of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court.

Congressmen pay wives from campaign funds  —  Practice is legal, but some see potential for abuse  —  The campaign to re-elect Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., left, has given wife Sandi Jackson's company at least $315,000 for her work.  (Zbigniew Bzdak, Chicago Tribune / January 7, 2010)

Watchdog wants probe of Google's ‘unusually close’ ties to Obama  —  As House Republicans plan an ambitious oversight agenda for the next session of Congress, a watchdog group is calling for a probe into a company that it says is far too cozy with the Obama administration: Google.